Hydrotherapy harnesses the healing power of water

Saturday

Sep 27, 2008 at 12:01 AMSep 27, 2008 at 3:32 AM

When Patty McClenathen is in the pool,, she can do deep bends, she can do lunges, she can lift aquatic dumbbells. She can almost forget she has rheumatoid arthritis. And for someone who once couldn’t dress herself or lift a gallon of milk, that’s something to savor.

Sue Van Fleet

When Patty McClenathen is in the pool at the Carter Rehabilitation Center in Adrian, Mich., she can do deep bends, she can do lunges, she can lift aquatic dumbbells.

She can almost forget she has rheumatoid arthritis. And for someone who once couldn’t dress herself or lift a gallon of milk, that’s something to savor.

“The pool is amazing,” the Blissfield, Mich., resident said. “Because of the buoyancy of the water, you can do things that you can’t do on land.”

Hydrotherapy — the use of water for treating pain and diseases — is often prescribed for just that reason. The water’s buoyancy unweights the body so patients are able to do more in the way of exercise than they could otherwise, said Aaron DeLine, the clinic director at Carter’s Adrian location.

“Therefore we’re able to speed up their healing and help them regain their function, strength and mobility more quickly than they would be able to otherwise,” he said.

Tatiana Masyk, a family practice and occupational medicine doctor, will often prescribe hydrotherapy for people with fibromyalgia, severe osteoarthritis, strains and sprains, back surgery, and knee and hip replacements. Exercising in water minimizes the stress on joints and the back, she said.

“Aquatic therapy is a physical therapy in water,” she said. “I think it really rejuvenates us. … For those who don’t want to do the machines, this is a different option for them.”

In addition to buoyancy, temperature is another component of aquatic therapy. The temperature at Carter’s pool is kept at 92 degrees, which is considered to be therapeutic. The water’s warmth is helpful for people with muscle or joint issues in that the heat lessens the pain while they’re exercising, DeLine said.

“And that’s wonderful,” McClenathen said. “When you get into a normal pool that’s cool, all your muscles tighten up. For someone who has arthritis, that equals pain.”

A prescription from a doctor is required for the aquatic therapy program at Carter, but the center also has a wellness program for people who want to use the pool.

“Oftentimes, for example, a patient will reach a plateau with their therapy and their insurance won’t cover any more,” DeLine said. “So we have an aquatic wellness program so they can continue at a reasonable cost. People who have arthritis particularly find it helpful.”

McClenathen, 56, was diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis when she was 25. She takes part in an aquatic exercise class on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays, and said time in the pool has given her relief from pain and stiffness, more mobility and greater strength.

“When that happens, it improves your mood and outlook on life because you can take better control of your life and the illness or disease, rather than it controlling you,” McClenathen said.

“Between physical therapy, water therapy and my medication, I can do just about anything now.”

People need to experiment to find what works best for them, Masyk said. Sometimes warm water will aggravate a condition and make it worse, while cool water is helpful. Or the opposite may be true.

“Each person is individual, and so what might apply to Susie won’t apply to Paul,” she said.

She suggests people confer with their doctor if they want more information about hydrotherapy and its benefits, since information online can be incorrect or confusing.

About hydrotherapy

Even though it sports a fancy five-syllable name, hydrotherapy is a simple idea that’s been around for ages. Anyone who has crawled into a hot bath after a hard day at work or has thrust a burnt finger under the kitchen faucet has instinctively used the healing properties of water.

A heated pool like the one at the Carter Rehabilitation Center in Adrian, Mich., makes it easy to apply hydrotherapy’s concepts to alleviate pain and speed healing. The temperature is a perfect 92 degrees and there’s plenty of room for stretching and exercise. But for most people, home is where the hot water is.

And that’s OK. Aaron DeLine, clinic director at the center, and Dr. Tatiana Masyk, an Adrian doctor who prescribes hydrotherapy for certain conditions, say some exercises can be adapted for the home.

Those with access to a hot tub or pool have it the easiest. Low-impact exercises that are less stressful to the joints can be performed in a pool, while the warm water in a hot tub can relax tight muscles.

“Not everyone can afford to have a pool or hot tub, but those who can find it very beneficial,” DeLine said.

“In a hot tub it’s not real deep and it’s hotter than the temperature we would use, so you can’t exercise as much, but you can do leg kicks, ankle movements and shoulder movements,” he said. “You should proceed with caution and ask your doctor before doing that because the water temperature is very warm, and that can complicate heart problems.”

Masyk made use of her hot tub when she broke her wrist a while ago and wasn’t able to extend it.

“The warm water allowed me to be able to get the range of motion back,” she said. “I’m not saying everyone can do it at home, but that kind of exercise helps us get back to our norm.”

A large sink or bath tub can sometimes work, Masyk said. It would be hard to work with the hips in a space that small, she said, but sore knees, ankles, elbows, shoulders and arms can be stretched and exercised in the warm water. People should experiment and see what works best for them.